Never Leave my Side Again, ChiyoChan
by Fade to Osaka
Summary: After a tragedy, tensions grow high between friends. Osaka feels the worst of it and feels like she can't take life anymore. I'm bad at summary's D:


Never leave my side again, Chiyo-Chan

A/N: This is my first attempt at a dramatic Azumanga fic, so don't be too harsh, but I would still like to know what I can improve on. I don't own anything. Especially Azumanga Daioh. I wish I owned it though. R&R

Osaka stared out the window of her bedroom, watching raindrops pound on the window. She felt so empty inside. She missed her friends. She hadn't seen any of them for two months since… the incident.

It happened so suddenly. As they walked home from school, a man jumped in front of them and pointed a gun at the group of friends. He told them to give him their money, but they didn't have any. He didn't believe that they didn't have money, so he pointed the gun at Chiyo. "Don't move, or I'll shoot her." He said. They all pleaded, and told him they didn't have any money, but he believed they were lying.

They tried to reason with him, but they smelt strong alcohol on his breath, and he would not listen. After giving them a final warning, he pulled the trigger, and, with a bang, little Chiyo fell over.

Osaka fell to her knees. She hugged Chiyo's limp body. "Please don't die, Chiyo-Chan!" She sobbed into the little girl's shoulder. Sakaki stood there in pure shock and eventually fainted. Tomo threw herself into Yomi's arms. Kagura ran toward the man and tried to attack him, but he fired a non-lethal shot to her arm.

The funeral was almost as hard as watching the death itself. The AzuGirls all spoke about the happy memories and brought tears to everyone's eyes.

The hardest part was watching Chiyo's little body being lowered into the grave. This is the part that defined it. As the body was lowered, Osaka realized Chiyo didn't get to live a full life, and it was all because of that selfish son of a bitch. Chiyo would never experience a full life, never studying abroad like she had spoke about, never get a job, never get married, never grow old and die with the one she loved.

After this incident, tensions began growing high between the friends. Every time they saw each other it broke into a fight over anything. Even Sakaki, the most peaceful person they knew, often found herself yelling. Osaka acted as the peacemaker, but in the end, everyone was madder at her then they were at the ones they were fighting with.

Their contact began rapidly decreasing, and they eventually stopped talking altogether.

Osaka yearned for her friends. They were the only things that kept her sane. And now that they were gone, what did she have to live for?

She sighed. "My life… is over."

Osaka was cut off by a disembodied voice. "Osaka-San what are you saying?" It was Chiyo's. "Chiyo-Chan, ever since you died I can't go on anymore." Osaka, told her dead friend, crying.

"Osaka-San," Chiyo began, her voice rising, "I need you to be strong, you were my best friend. It will hurt not seeing you for a long time until you die, but I need you to live a full life for me. You were my best friend. You are depressed about me not getting to live a full life, but you aren't willing to live one?"

Osaka was speechless. Chiyo made so much sense. "You… Are right, Chiyo-Chan. I need to live a full life, and I will keep you alive in me. But I still miss you so much."

"It's all right, we will see each other again one day, and I know we will. And until then, you can try speaking to me anytime. If I can, I will answer. And if I can't answer, I will still listen because I love you like a sister Osaka-San."

Osaka broke down crying. "I love you too Chiyo-Chan. And I now realize we will be able to talk again like this before I die. Because sister bonds can not be broken by life or death."

"My spirit will listen anytime you have problems. Good bye. For now."

"Good bye, Chiyo-Chan." Osaka said, convinced that the event that just took place was real and not just fantasy. She WOULD be able to talk to Chiyo's spirit again, she was convinced. She grabbed a picture of her and Chiyo and hugged it. She closed her eyes and smiled.

Her eyes opened and she realized how dark the room was. Her face felt wet, and her eyes puffy. As her eyes adjusted, she made out the room around her. The clock near her said it was 3:00 AM.

It was a room in Chiyo's summer home. "How did I get here?" She looked to the left of her, and on the opposite end of the futon was a face she never thought she would see again. She grew a giant smile.

"Chiyo-Chan!" Osaka yelled, bouncing, and hugging her best friend in the world.

"Ah! Osaka-San, what on Earth are you doing?" Chiyo said, giggling sleepily. Osaka told her about her dream.

"Osaka-San, that's awful. I'm sorry you had such an awful dream." Chiyo said, wiping a tear from her eye. "You really think of me as a sister?"

Osaka nodded. "Yes, I do." She hugged Chiyo again.

"I-I love you too." Chiyo said smiling.

They decided they would not be able to fall back asleep, so they walked for a few hours, though the safe, rural area that surrounded the beach house. They started on breakfast early to surprise the others.

Everyone awoke at around 8:00 AM. At the table, Yomi started a conversation about their dreams. "… And then I got a gold medal in Olympic swimming!" Kagura proclaimed happily.

"Yeah, well I got a Platinum medal in my dream!" Tomo replied, looking accomplished.

"There is no Platinum medal you idiot." Yomi said to her ignorant friend. "Chiyo-Chan, Osaka, what did you guys dream about?" Yomi asked, now moving her attention to Chiyo.

"Oh! Well… I can't really remember." Chiyo said. She looked at Osaka, who didn't know what to say, until she examined Chiyo's hair. "Oh, you know, Chiyo-Chan's pigtails." She smiled at Chiyo, who smiled back.

"Osaka, sometimes I don't know about you." Yomi said, shaking her head. Chiyo winked at Osaka, who smiled.

After a fun day of swimming and festivals, it was time for bed. And, this night, Osaka really DID dream about Chiyo's pigtails. Chiyo gave Osaka a pair of pigtails and they flew through the sky. "Never leave my side again, Chiyo-Chan…"


End file.
